Lodi’s sizzling housing market propels average ‘sold price’ to $428K

This joint is jumpin’. Ask any local Realtor and they will likely tell you the real estate market here is hot. As of late last month, there were only 88 properties for sale in Lodi — about one month’s inventory, according to Roxanne Rocha, an agent for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. The average “sold price” is $428,000. Even at that, homes don’t stay on the market for long. Most properties have been selling in 36 days, on average, according to Rocha. Lodi homes have also been selling for about $247 per square foot, on average. And most homes are selling close to or above the asking price, according to Rocha. She describes the current market as an, “On fire seller's market, (with) low inventory, many qualified willing buyers, (and) amazing rates.” Many of the sales have been to investors with pocketfuls of cash. IN OTHER NEWS: Some 20-something young folks recently showed up at the city’s Municipal Services Center (MSC) at Ham and Kettleman, smartphones in hand, and commenced photographing city employees coming and going from the facility. They then posted the video online, on YouTube. The video shows that police were called to investigate, which could have been the whole point of their visit. The youngsters said they were just exercising their First Amendment rights. The group identifies themselves as the “Canda Press, aka 209badapplies Copwatch.” Their website says, “We continue our treks into Jim Crow Lodi. This time, we audit the Muni building. It's a pass. We get to talk to a rookie (police officer) about the current training in Cop College for the First Amendment.” We reached out to the group for comment, but got no response. CLEAN-UP: They came with buckets, trash grabbers, rolled-up sleeves and lots of enthusiasm. A little over a week ago, 25 Lodi High School students and advisors came together on a mission to clean up downtown Lodi. A few weeks earlier it was Lodi Lake. Next time, who knows? It’s all part of the school’s Environmental Club, an organization of students and staff “concerned about the future of their planet.” The club presidents are Hattie Ellison and Isabella Wallace. Debbie Clemons and Jud Atwater are staff advisors for the organization. The goal is to “raise ecological and environmental consciousness of Lodi High School and the community.” CLOSING: Headwaters Kayak shop will be closing their brick and mortar store in Lodi after Oct. 1, according to owner Dan Arbuckle, who posted a video online making the announcement. “This year was a killer. Crazy busy, but more backend struggles than anyone will ever understand,” Arbuckle said. The problem doesn’t seem to be lack of business. Arbuckle said they are sold out of everything, but haven’t been able to replenish stock. “Kind of a heartbreaker for this community,” Arbuckle said. Headwaters also runs the Lodi Lake boat shop, where visitors can rent kayaks and other watercraft, but that business will remain open. TAKE A BOW: Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital named Jessica (Jesi) Nasello, RN as the winner of this year’s Lorraine Pope Nurse of the Year Award. Nasello was recognized for being a leader among her peers and for making a “visible contribution to nursing, especially during (the) COVID crisis,” among other qualities and achievements. The award is named after the late Lorraine Pope, who was director of nursing at the hospital for 17 years. Pope’s daughter, Terri Whitmire, who is also a nurse and runs the senior daycare center at Hutchins Street Square, remembers as a small child being pushed in a stroller as her mother went door-to-door asking for donations to build the hospital back in the ’50s. Pope died in 1983 at the age of 66. … Those appreciation gift boxes that were presented to the nurses at Lodi Memorial last week? It was Whitmire’s idea to do something special like that for the hospital’s nursing staff, according to Charlene Lange, whose LangeTwins winery donated the wine for the 400-plus boxes. Nice. TRUE FANS: Randy and Jodie Snider are true San Francisco Giants fans. Season ticket holders. Orange Friday regulars. Baseball fans to the core. And to prove it, you can see both their likenesses among the cardboard audience cutouts occupying empty seats at Oracle Park during home games. Randy says season ticket holders were given first shot at having their pictures included among the “crowd.” As you know, all games this season are being played without actual fans in the seats. LOCKDOWN LUNCH:

“If you had to eat the same thing over and over while in lockdown ... what ONE thing would it be?” That’s the question posed on social media by Vicki Lynn. Here’s a sampling of responses: Dolly Hayes Gresham would eat a lot of broccoli chicken; Genia Newland doesn’t think anything sounds good right now, but she might be able to force down a little bit of chuck roast; Elizabeth Alvarado, Deanna Brown Williams, and Sharon Mindt could live just fine with a steady supply of burritos; Ria Vandenburg Jones and Barbara Faught would never get tired of ice cream; Dametra Marie Clary-Jackson wouldn’t get tired of Spam (really??); Top Ramen tops the list for Denise Holding Finn; Leslie Keeler LeBlanc says, “Pretty much what I've been eating. Chocolate and more chocolate. Well on my way to the Quarantine 15;” it’s boiled eggs for Adriana Lopez Velazquez; pizza would suit Jessica Hill, William Matney Jr. and Shawn Marie Woods just fine; Alberta VanNest votes Salami and French bread; Sarah Love, Maria Madril, and Sulema Nieves, Sandy Tyler Phillips, Jayleen Katzakian, Maggie S. Barner, and Sandy Nichols Preszler love tacos; Carol Shockley votes for pan fried top ramen and tuna fish sandwiches; Carla Anaya Morris casts her vote for gummy bears and gummy worms; Linsey Bailey says Sushi; Melanie Cfield could live on cereal; Brian Snoe and Dave Clark would be ok with a steady diet of steak; Fritzie Pascual writes that he’d be ok with Sinigang, which is a “Filipino version of bouillabaisse;” and Ceasar Dominic Trevino is willing to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. REMEMBRANCE :We take a moment to remember Judy Bader and Joanne Hoffman, both of whom recently passed away. Judy Bader owned B&J Travel, one of Lodi’s premiere travel agencies back in the day. She was genuinely a nice person, always wearing a big smile. She always had the inside scoop on virtually every destination you might want to book, because she’d been there. Joanne Hoffman taught English at Lodi High School for 10 years. She and her husband Bob were grape farmers, and Joanne loved to share her knowledge about wine with visitors to Heritage Oak Winery, which her son Tom owns. She was also a former member of the Lodi Planning Commission and a one-time candidate for city council. Both ladies made significant contributions to Lodi and will be missed.